Da Vinci's Ghost

In Da Vinci's Ghost, critically acclaimed historian Toby Lester examines the forces that converged in 1490 to turn an idea that had been around for centuries into this iconic image, bringing the ghost of an unknown Leonardo da Vinci back to life. Rooted in little-known episodes of the artist's colourful career, and taking in ideas including theories of the cosmos, Roman laIn Da Vinci's Ghost, critically acclaimed historian Toby Lester examines the forces that converged in 1490 to turn an idea that had been around for centuries into this iconic image, bringing the ghost of an unknown Leonardo da Vinci back to life. Rooted in little-known episodes of the artist's colourful career, and taking in ideas including theories of the cosmos, Roman land-surveying and the relationship between anatomy and architecture, the book tells the story of his evolving, lifelong study of the human body, restoring in vivid detail the intellectual and cultural spheres of fifteenth-century Florence and Milan. Beautifully illustrated with da Vinci's drawings and those of his predecessors, Da Vinci's Ghost is both a personal story and a grand saga of intellectual discovery that brilliantly reconstructs the artistry and scholarship of one of the world's greatest creative minds....more

Hardcover, 277 pages

Published
November 10th 2011
by Profile
(first published May 27th 2011)

Community Reviews

I’d always heard that the Dark Ages were a horrible era when the Bubonic Plague ran rampant, the Greco/Roman masters were ignored, and people lived short grubbing lives. In ‘Da Vinci’s Ghost” Toby Lester brings to light the succession of learning tracing it from the Greeks to the Romans and then threads it through to Medieval times and on to the Renaissance. He focuses on DaVinci but brings up many others, mostly unheard of to me, who kept the wisdom alive and added to it. DuA History of Thought

I’d always heard that the Dark Ages were a horrible era when the Bubonic Plague ran rampant, the Greco/Roman masters were ignored, and people lived short grubbing lives. In ‘Da Vinci’s Ghost” Toby Lester brings to light the succession of learning tracing it from the Greeks to the Romans and then threads it through to Medieval times and on to the Renaissance. He focuses on DaVinci but brings up many others, mostly unheard of to me, who kept the wisdom alive and added to it. During the Middle Ages there were vast libraries that were passed down and shared with other thinkers. Because this book was focused on DaVinci I expected that it would be about art history but it was much more than that because DaVinci was much more than an artist. He read thought and created much more in addition to his paintings. Lester focuses on Vitruvian Man, a tradition based on the ideal proportions of man’s body and as such it was a symbol of the ideal of the universe; man and his body seen as a microcosm of the Divine. This was an enlightening book. I would advise getting the hard copy vs. the Kindle version of this book because the nine full color plates and the 53 pencil figure drawings add a lot to the understanding of the concepts. ...more

Though short, it's still longer than it needs to be. Lester did the best he could, but apparently there's just not that much material to work with. (Although the bibliography is long, so maybe I'm mistaken.) Interesting, clearly written, even snippets of humor, but, for me, just a bit lacking somehow. To me, it seemed more like trivia than a narrative. Awesome pictures, though.

And so that's why I think it would have made a great article, or a chapter in a larger book. The point of Da Vinci's ViThough short, it's still longer than it needs to be. Lester did the best he could, but apparently there's just not that much material to work with. (Although the bibliography is long, so maybe I'm mistaken.) Interesting, clearly written, even snippets of humor, but, for me, just a bit lacking somehow. To me, it seemed more like trivia than a narrative. Awesome pictures, though.

And so that's why I think it would have made a great article, or a chapter in a larger book. The point of Da Vinci's Vitruvian man could have been sharpened, I think.

Snippet: Cicero, in Somnium Scipionis: The Dream of Scipio, wrote, "'Understand that you are god. You have a god's capacity....'" I have no idea what's up with that (beyond the rest of the quote & note in Lester), but it sure does remind me of Robert A. Heinlein's "Thou art god, I am god. All that groks is god."...more

Albert Einstein wrote that the mind “always has tried to form for itself a simple and synoptic image of the surrounding world.” During the Renaissance, when the ancient Greek idea of man as the measure of all things leapt to the forefront of intellectual life, the human body became a preferred object for this type of “synoptic” speculation. In a widely read treatise titled “Divina Proportione” (1509), the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli echoed fashionable opinions of the day by declaring thatAlbert Einstein wrote that the mind “always has tried to form for itself a simple and synoptic image of the surrounding world.” During the Renaissance, when the ancient Greek idea of man as the measure of all things leapt to the forefront of intellectual life, the human body became a preferred object for this type of “synoptic” speculation. In a widely read treatise titled “Divina Proportione” (1509), the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli echoed fashionable opinions of the day by declaring that our body measurements express “every ratio and proportion by which God reveals the innermost secrets of nature.” Pacioli’s close friend Leonardo da Vinci provided illustrations.

In the richly rewarding history “Da Vinci’s Ghost,” Toby ­Lester, a contributing editor at The Atlantic, shows that Leonardo had long been fascinated by the concept of man as a microcosm of the universe. Before the Pacioli collaboration, the idea had inspired what has since become one of Leonardo’s most famous images, “Vitruvian Man” (circa 1490), a careful line drawing of a nude male figure whose outstretched arms and legs fit perfectly in the bounds of a circle and a square. “Vitruvian Man” has entered popular culture as an emblem of Leonardo’s genius — redolent of secret knowledge, referred to in the initial crime scene of “The Da Vinci Code” and reproduced on the face of...

The rest of my review is available free online at the website of The New York Times:

You may not have known it was called the "Vitruvian Man" but you are doubtless familiar with the Da Vinci's drawing of the man with the intense stare in the circle and square - reproduced in posters, T-shirts, mugs, etc. This is the story of that drawing, inspired by architect Vitruvius, who proceeded him by hundreds of years with the publication of work of 10 volumes on architecture.He felt that the human body could be made to fit inside a circle, to express the divine, and a square, related toYou may not have known it was called the "Vitruvian Man" but you are doubtless familiar with the Da Vinci's drawing of the man with the intense stare in the circle and square - reproduced in posters, T-shirts, mugs, etc. This is the story of that drawing, inspired by architect Vitruvius, who proceeded him by hundreds of years with the publication of work of 10 volumes on architecture.He felt that the human body could be made to fit inside a circle, to express the divine, and a square, related to more earthly matters.

I almost hate to give the book only 2 stars because the research is impressive and the writing smooth, but the problem is the book is only 227 pages long before notes and bibliography suggestions and page 197 contains the line "Which brings us, at last, to Virtruvian Man". So most of the book is a meandering look at European history, art, architecture, religion and literature. Probably more than I wanted to know. I usually have a fiction and non-fiction book on my nightstand for some reading before turning in. I got in the habit of reading this one last as it can be a most capable snooze inducer despite some interesting tidbits along the way....more

I listened to this, and that was good and bad. Good, because I didn't have to stumble over the Roman and Italian names...bad because there was elegant language I would have loved to linger over and think about. I cobbed a quote from another review: "Man is the model of the world." Leonardo created the perfect embodiment of that...

I don't know if the book itself has illustrations, and listening in the car I couldn't stop and google...which I did at home.

VeI listened to this, and that was good and bad. Good, because I didn't have to stumble over the Roman and Italian names...bad because there was elegant language I would have loved to linger over and think about. I cobbed a quote from another review: "Man is the model of the world." Leonardo created the perfect embodiment of that...

I don't know if the book itself has illustrations, and listening in the car I couldn't stop and google...which I did at home.

Vetruvian Man...we've seen him, it seems forever...but actually, the drawing was only recently (relatively speaking) found...1950's was our new introduction...The face is probably Leonardo, looking back at us with that intensity of intelligence that must have been intimidating and frustrating for his friends and family.

The book begins with the Roman Vitruvius, architect and author of ten volumes of architecture analysis, without one illustration. That boggles my brain. For hundreds, over a thousand years, no one could read and comprehend...but there was a description of a circle, a square, and the figure of a man...the embodiment of the cosmos.

After Vitruvius, Lester takes us through medieval European philosophy, and on to Leonardo...

As I listened to his incredible passion for learning , for knowing, for looking at the world through the poetic lens of metaphor, the teacher in me began to itch to have him in my class...but I realized he would be that kid with breath-taking ideas who never finished a project. He was so brilliant he couldn't focus on just one thing, OR he focused so completely on one thing, he lost sight of other responsibilites...He appeared to be an ADD nightmare of soo much going on behind his eyes that his head must have been humming at all times.

The book leaves us with Lester's experience holding the drawing...seeing the pin-pricks Leonardo's compass made, examining Leonardo's pen strokes, so strong and sure they almost creased the paper...

Vitruvian Man, with or without his guitar, is a gift from Leonardo to us all. This book is a gift as well....more

Apparently Da Vinci’s most famous drawing, Vitruvian Man, was an idea that was well known and employed by architects and artists during the Renaissance. Historian Toby Lester does a solid job of tracing the origin and application of the Platonic ideal of man prior to Da Vinci’s rendering of him. This book was not as exciting as the title nor was it what it purported to be - a study of Da Vinci’s legacy. Never the less, this was an interesting work. It is always fun to learn so much about a singlApparently Da Vinci’s most famous drawing, Vitruvian Man, was an idea that was well known and employed by architects and artists during the Renaissance. Historian Toby Lester does a solid job of tracing the origin and application of the Platonic ideal of man prior to Da Vinci’s rendering of him. This book was not as exciting as the title nor was it what it purported to be - a study of Da Vinci’s legacy. Never the less, this was an interesting work. It is always fun to learn so much about a single work. Lester isn’t as engaging as some I’ve read who write in this style. The book lacked the small “aha” moments that connect the topic to the reader’s world. But, it was a well written study and a pleasant read....more

Not really sure there is the content here for a whole book, but it is a good light read for someone like me who is a history/science/philosophy nerd. It's interesting to know more about the concept of why Da Vinci would make that drawing, and the sources from which that inspiration came from. When I read about Da Vinci I always think about people I've know that are kind of like him, but how in this modern era it doesn't bespeak of greatness to be smart, have energy and yet not the discipline toNot really sure there is the content here for a whole book, but it is a good light read for someone like me who is a history/science/philosophy nerd. It's interesting to know more about the concept of why Da Vinci would make that drawing, and the sources from which that inspiration came from. When I read about Da Vinci I always think about people I've know that are kind of like him, but how in this modern era it doesn't bespeak of greatness to be smart, have energy and yet not the discipline to accomplish the big projects. I think a lot of how successful a person becomes can depend on personality plus circumstance, including which century and country they are born into....more

Well, Toby Lester certainly comes full circle in his telling of Leonardo Da Vinci's life in relation to the the Vetruvian Man, created in 25 BCE by Vetruvius, a Roman engineer, and a nexus of inspiration for Leonardo over 1500 years later. Lester's style of writing sweeps the reader through the centuries as he traces the quest for understanding ourselves, our god(s), our earthly geography through the "analogy of man" as microcosm. What one comes away with is that Leonardo drew his inspiration frWell, Toby Lester certainly comes full circle in his telling of Leonardo Da Vinci's life in relation to the the Vetruvian Man, created in 25 BCE by Vetruvius, a Roman engineer, and a nexus of inspiration for Leonardo over 1500 years later. Lester's style of writing sweeps the reader through the centuries as he traces the quest for understanding ourselves, our god(s), our earthly geography through the "analogy of man" as microcosm. What one comes away with is that Leonardo drew his inspiration from ancient classical concepts as well as the ideas/worldview of Medieval scholastics. In the passages describing Leonardo's belief that he had located the human soul in the "sensus communis," a part of the brain,I thought of our present-day physicists who are in search of "the god particle" in Bern.

It does help to have a passing knowledge of 15th century Renaissance artists, especially those from Florence and Milan. That said, Lester's lively style can bridge the gap and place our imagination in Leonardo's time, so that we understand the man more fully, at least Lester's notion of Da Vinci. And . . . I was quite taken with Lester's description of medieval libraries and bibliophiles. Where would we be without such things?...more

I happened to like this book a lot because Leonardo just fascinates me to no end, but it was a tad to drawn out, hence the 4 stars. Oh, and BTW if you're looking for a conspiracy theory book like The DaVinci Code etc, this isn't your book. This is just regular, fascinating, TRUE historical fact. OK, and a little conjecture here and there. But no Dan Brown sensationalism here.

Suprisingly a very quick read I actually enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone interested in Da Vinci's works. The book really focused on his discoveries more than his life but was a quite interesting read and went into a good detail about the golden ratios and how Da Vinci equated everything to the human body (in structure mainly). For example he equated the build of the columns of a building with the side profile of a man. However I did find it interesting that he seemed to only study mSuprisingly a very quick read I actually enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone interested in Da Vinci's works. The book really focused on his discoveries more than his life but was a quite interesting read and went into a good detail about the golden ratios and how Da Vinci equated everything to the human body (in structure mainly). For example he equated the build of the columns of a building with the side profile of a man. However I did find it interesting that he seemed to only study men, but then I would think in his time few women modeled for artists (nudely as he requested so the movements of the body were unrestricted by clothing)....more

Through one of Leonardo Da Vinci's most famous images, “Vitruvian Man,” Toby Lester gives us a view into the mind of this great artist and profound thinker, whose prodigious notebooks overflow with ideas. Spanning research on history, art, astronomy, geometry, geography and religion, Lester uses "Vitruvian Man" to reveal the landscape of human thought and achievement blossoming during Da Vinci's time, and to reveal Da Vinci's deeper nature -- driven, voraciously intelligent and compulsively curiThrough one of Leonardo Da Vinci's most famous images, “Vitruvian Man,” Toby Lester gives us a view into the mind of this great artist and profound thinker, whose prodigious notebooks overflow with ideas. Spanning research on history, art, astronomy, geometry, geography and religion, Lester uses "Vitruvian Man" to reveal the landscape of human thought and achievement blossoming during Da Vinci's time, and to reveal Da Vinci's deeper nature -- driven, voraciously intelligent and compulsively curious. The book will make you want to delve deeper into the fascinating life of one of the greatest intellects in human history....more

This is a magnificent contribution to the Da Vinci literature. A fascinating look at the Vitruvian Man (naked man in a circle and square or naked man doing jumping jacks) drawing by Leonardo in 1490, written in a completely accessible style, covering the roots of the knowledge it encompasses and the importance of those ideas throughout history from time of Christ until The Genius produced his unique and improved version. The book also conveys very interesting anecdotes about Da Vinci, only one oThis is a magnificent contribution to the Da Vinci literature. A fascinating look at the Vitruvian Man (naked man in a circle and square or naked man doing jumping jacks) drawing by Leonardo in 1490, written in a completely accessible style, covering the roots of the knowledge it encompasses and the importance of those ideas throughout history from time of Christ until The Genius produced his unique and improved version. The book also conveys very interesting anecdotes about Da Vinci, only one of which I'll mention: he was a vegetarian. Thoroughly enjoyed it....more

Although Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is an iconic image, few know the story behind the image. Toby Lester not only tells the story of the image, but also presents the cultural backdrop that led to its creation. His prose is careful and readable, free of academic jargon. He makes his topic approachable rather than placing it on a pedestal. In some parts of the book, it's almost as if you are beside Lester in the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, looking at Da Vinci's sketches. Rather than being anAlthough Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is an iconic image, few know the story behind the image. Toby Lester not only tells the story of the image, but also presents the cultural backdrop that led to its creation. His prose is careful and readable, free of academic jargon. He makes his topic approachable rather than placing it on a pedestal. In some parts of the book, it's almost as if you are beside Lester in the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, looking at Da Vinci's sketches. Rather than being an intrusive presence, Lester is a fine research companion. ...more

The story of the Vitruvian Man is a most fascinating account of Leonardo Da Vinci, but also the time he lived in as mankind tried to come to grips with reality rather than just accepting myths. The author does a superb job of explaining 15th Century job and setting Da Vinci and his colleagues in it. I learned a great deal and intend to read the book again to better understand this pivotal period in human advancement. The author does an admirable job of keeping his story entertaining when it coulThe story of the Vitruvian Man is a most fascinating account of Leonardo Da Vinci, but also the time he lived in as mankind tried to come to grips with reality rather than just accepting myths. The author does a superb job of explaining 15th Century job and setting Da Vinci and his colleagues in it. I learned a great deal and intend to read the book again to better understand this pivotal period in human advancement. The author does an admirable job of keeping his story entertaining when it could have easily lapsed into dreary academic writing. ...more

I gave this book 4 stars. Truthfully, it's at least 4 1/2 stars and a good case can be made that this is a five star book. It's a brilliant work. Not brilliant in the way that The Great Gatsby or Ragtime are great works of art or in the way that Einstein's Theory of General and Special Relativity is a work of monumental genius. Instead, it is brilliant in its structure, it's simplicity, its elegant thinking and it's writing. Lester doesn't try to find the unified theory of everything (as seems tI gave this book 4 stars. Truthfully, it's at least 4 1/2 stars and a good case can be made that this is a five star book. It's a brilliant work. Not brilliant in the way that The Great Gatsby or Ragtime are great works of art or in the way that Einstein's Theory of General and Special Relativity is a work of monumental genius. Instead, it is brilliant in its structure, it's simplicity, its elegant thinking and it's writing. Lester doesn't try to find the unified theory of everything (as seems to be the pattern of writers today), rather he takes one simple topic and explores its meaning and significance with engaging, interesting and spare prose. In this case his idea is the history and significance of Da Vinci's iconic drawing of Vitruvian Man. I thought it was a mildly interesting concept - mostly because of my interest in knowing more about Leonardo. What I found was a page turner that felt more like a mystery novel than a history book. It told me everything I needed to know about the history and historical significance of the sketch but so much more. Insights into Da Vinci's personality, his chaotic, frantic, unending search for answers about everything and how it all came together in his world view. I learned more about Leonardo the philosopher, scientist and architect than I expected and gained tremendous insight into the wonder of his genius in the face of little advanced education (he didn't speak Latin the language of advanced knowledge in his day). Above and beyond the learning, it is just a wonderful engaging read. It's one of the best books I've read this year. Just plain wonderful. ...more

I have always been fascinated with Leonardo Da Vinci. Teaching my fifth graders about the history of science increased my fascination, as did reading Leonardo Da Vinci by Kathleen Krull. When I saw this audiobook in Tantor's Bargain Bin, I had to buy it. It was lucky I had the audio version because the amount of detail would have defeated me in a print book. This book is a very scholarly study of the varied and various influences that led Da Vinci to create the drawing we know as Vitruvian Man.

LI have always been fascinated with Leonardo Da Vinci. Teaching my fifth graders about the history of science increased my fascination, as did reading Leonardo Da Vinci by Kathleen Krull. When I saw this audiobook in Tantor's Bargain Bin, I had to buy it. It was lucky I had the audio version because the amount of detail would have defeated me in a print book. This book is a very scholarly study of the varied and various influences that led Da Vinci to create the drawing we know as Vitruvian Man.

Lester begins the story with Vitruvius who was a Roman architect in about 29 BC. He decided to achieve fame and possible fortune by writing a book about architecture which was dedicated to Caesar Augustus and which used Augustus as a model for human perfection. For Vitruvius and architects to at least Leonardo's time, the human proportion was a model of the divine and building should also be based on the same proportions. This idea, though not illustrated by Vitruvius, spurred Leonardo to make his famous drawing - Vitruvian Man.

Listening, I was immersed in the personalities of the time and in the political and artistic cultures of Italy. The author placed Leonardo in both his culture and his time and speculated on how they formed the man. It was fascinating and filled with very rich detail.

Stephen Hoye's voice was pleasant to listen to. I admire his ability to pronounce all those Italian names. I did have a moment or two of fear the Hoye would read us the bibliography. I can't imagine that the print version, as scholarly as it was, didn't have an extensive one. Fortunately, he did not. ...more

Lester seeks to connect, as firmly as possible, Da Vinci to Vitruvius (1st century B.C. architect and author of De Architectura) and his ideas on proportion. The enduring idea is that man can be used as a blueprint toward understanding the nature of all things through proportions. Not hard to understand in the days when the Sun still went around the Earth.In a turn that would make Malcolm Gladwell proud, Lester traces the evolution of Da Vinci's thoughts and experiences (his exposure to books anLester seeks to connect, as firmly as possible, Da Vinci to Vitruvius (1st century B.C. architect and author of De Architectura) and his ideas on proportion. The enduring idea is that man can be used as a blueprint toward understanding the nature of all things through proportions. Not hard to understand in the days when the Sun still went around the Earth.In a turn that would make Malcolm Gladwell proud, Lester traces the evolution of Da Vinci's thoughts and experiences (his exposure to books and a diversity of experts in various fields) rather than the magic of prodigy alone.Da Vinci's genius was in his collection of multi-discipline information on an array of topics without limiting himself to the structures of either the emerging academic elite or the artisan/craftsman class. If Da Vinci had be high born, he wouldn't have had access to less respected schools of knowledge which would turn out to be particularly important. Just as Ahmet Ertegun was able to access black music a couple decades prior to it being socially acceptable, Da Vinci was able to synthesize the knowledge of the artisan class(architecture, stone masonry, metal working, painting, etc) before the academic class would stoop to it. He won at the economy of knowledge, and he wrapped that in natural talent and a work ethic fueled by curiosity.In this age of ease of information it's an interesting exercise to imagine the lengths one would have to go to in acquiring the knowledge contained in a rare ancient volume. In the 15th century you'd get a process like > teach yourself Latin (cause you only know Italian), travel to a monastery several days away on the rumor that they have the volume you are looking for, befriend the monk acting as librarian and convince him to allow you the hours or days needed to absorb the knowledge/take note/copy passages from the text if you find it. These days, I shop online and the book is on my doorstep in three business days, to be deposited on the book shelf and possibly forgotten. Antiquity's method required a massive commitment, but also seemed to result in a greater peripheral benefit in experience; travel, social connection, intellectual collection, and the acquisition of all the subsidiary skills needed.

>>>more on the connections between Taccola, Toscanelli, Brunelleschi, and Da Vinci as touched on in The Day The Universe Changed, and Brunelleschi's Dome....more

Da Vinci, in his drawing, “Vitruvian Man,” gives his answer to the question, “What is Man?” He combined his artistic talent and visual way of thinking into a drawing that embodies the Renaissance-recovered Classical concept of man as a microcosm of the universe. By setting the drawing of a man with outstretched arms into a square superimposed on a circle, he connected man with the earth(square) and the universe(circle). By making the man’s proportions those that he had measured, he broke new groDa Vinci, in his drawing, “Vitruvian Man,” gives his answer to the question, “What is Man?” He combined his artistic talent and visual way of thinking into a drawing that embodies the Renaissance-recovered Classical concept of man as a microcosm of the universe. By setting the drawing of a man with outstretched arms into a square superimposed on a circle, he connected man with the earth(square) and the universe(circle). By making the man’s proportions those that he had measured, he broke new ground in using experience, actual measurements that he made of bodies, instead of passed-down dogmas, to define the man in the drawing.

He sided with Aristotle against Plato in locating man’s soul in his body, not outside the body. Lester has included an interesting drawing of Da Vinci in which he identifies the soul as three cavities in the brain corresponding to the three ventricles, or fluid filled cavities, in the brain. That reminds me of the contemporary cognitive scientists who are trying to localize man’s consciousness in the brain.

The book is ostensibly about the drawing, which is true. However, in explaining the context of the drawing, Lester informs the reader about the Italian city-states in which the Renaissance was born, the story of the Roman Vitruvius’ ten volume treatise on architecture as an expression of the human form; the sketchy biographical knowledge we have of Da Vinci as a self-made Renaissance artist, architect, and anatomist; and the clash between Aristotelian and Platonic philosophy played out as empirical knowledge gradually supplanted received knowledge as the basis for truth. So the book is a glimpse into the fascinating history of 15th century Italy as it approached the turn from medieval to modern as well as an interesting tale about a gifted artist and his famous drawing....more

This book explores the creation of Leonardo's Vitruvian Man all the way back to the man who originally thought of the image, a Roman engineer named Vitruvius, and the fact that this image represents the idea that man is a microcosm of the universe. Vitruvius man wrote the Ten Books on Architecture during Augustus's reign. The author begins the story with a journey between Leonardo and another architect, who was translating Vitruvius. Then the author cuts to Vitruvius's life in Ancient Roman Emp This book explores the creation of Leonardo's Vitruvian Man all the way back to the man who originally thought of the image, a Roman engineer named Vitruvius, and the fact that this image represents the idea that man is a microcosm of the universe. Vitruvius man wrote the Ten Books on Architecture during Augustus's reign. The author begins the story with a journey between Leonardo and another architect, who was translating Vitruvius. Then the author cuts to Vitruvius's life in Ancient Roman Empire, where Augustus was remaking Rome and the Empire by erecting new buildings. Vitruvius saw an opening for a treatise on architecture and in this work the square and circle are founding principles. The idea of the Vitruvian Man combines many fields of learning other than art and architecture. It includes astrology, philosophy, geometry, and anatomy. The astrological and philosophical part believed that the circle symbolized the cosmos and the square represented the earth. Anyway, the idea of the Vitruvian Man was just written by Vitruvius. There is not evidence of illustration for his book. The author continues the story of man's image inside circles and squares throughout Medieval times to how it eventually reached Leonardo in the Renaissance. The idea of the Vitruvian Man existed for 1,500 years before it was executed exactly like Vitruvius described it with the man's naval in the center of the circle. The author stops building up the idea of the Vitruvian Man and starts to examine Leonardo's life in Milan where the drawing was created with help from many other famous men. The whole idea of the Vitruvian Man is the ideal man as a microcosm of the universe. Leonardo possibly modeled the face after his own based on the intense straight ahead stare and other descriptions of Leonardo by contemporaries. Toby Lester does a wonderful job connecting the ideal image of man from ancient times to the Renaissance. This ideal man is really what permeates the whole book and the melding of many disciplines in the pursuit of knowledge. The image of man is represented not just in art but in architecture also, like the image of Christ crucified is the floor plan for cruciform churches and basilicas. I bought this book based on a review and the fact that it is about Leonardo. I thought given the title (Da Vinci's Ghost: Genius, Obsession, and How Leonardo Created the World in His Own Image) that the book would be about how Leonardo's Vitruvian Man influenced images up until our modern times, but it was about the Vitruvian Man, its creation, and meaning. Being an art historian, made me want to know more about the many different theories covered in the book. The author did not dig deep enough into to facts. He researched it well and it is all true, I just wanted to know more about both sides of the stories, like whether or not the Vitruvian Man's face was Leonardo's and what the arguments for both sides are in more detail. I was captivated by the beginning of the book because the author was cutting into Leonardo's life then back into the history of the Vitruvian Man. I think that could have been used through out the book, because when Lester made it to just discussing Leonardo's life, he was just hammering the same ideas, like the ideal of man and man representing a smaller universe, into the reader. I think the history of the Vitruvian Man is wonderfully done. It is captivating to most audiences and an easy read if you are interested in the subject. But I was left with wanting to know more and the suspicion that Lester did not dig deep enough into the mystery of the Vitruvian Man. ...more

The drawing is well known, if not universally recognized (and I mean universal in the literal sense). Leonardo DaVinci’s print of the human male figure, arms and legs outstretched, touching both a square and a circle drawn within the square, can be found on t-shirts and mousepads, corporate logos, as well as parodies including The Simpsons. It’s on the €1 Euro coin, but perhaps most impressively, it’s been launced into space on several long distance and very long term missions.

It’s called “VitruThe drawing is well known, if not universally recognized (and I mean universal in the literal sense). Leonardo DaVinci’s print of the human male figure, arms and legs outstretched, touching both a square and a circle drawn within the square, can be found on t-shirts and mousepads, corporate logos, as well as parodies including The Simpsons. It’s on the €1 Euro coin, but perhaps most impressively, it’s been launced into space on several long distance and very long term missions.

It’s called “Vitruvian Man”, and among Leonardo’s eclectically vast tableau of work it remains one of his most enigmatic pieces. Author Toby Lester delves deeply into this single DaVinci masterpiece to expose its roots, its meanings and its lasting impressions.

Lester provides insight into the genesis of this work which currently resides at the Accademia Gallery in Venice, though it’s not currently on display. The name comes from the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius: “Writing at the dawn of the Roman imperial age, Virtuvius proposed that a man can be made to fit inside a circle and a square, and some fifteen hundred years later Leonardo gave that idea memorable visual form. But there’s much more to the story than that. Vitruvius had described his figure in an architectural context, insisting that the proportions of sacred temples should conform to the proportions of the idea human body – the design of which, he believed, conformed to the hidden geometry of the universe.”

Lester identifies some seriously heavy metaphysical connotations of the drawing as well, and the concept that it engenders. “The circle represented the cosmic and the divine; the square represented the earthly and the secular. Anybody proposing that a man could be made to fit inside both shapes was therefore making an age-old metaphysical statement. It was the world, in miniature.”

He continues, “It’s an idealized self-portrait in which Leonardo, stripped down to his essence, takes his own measure, and in doing so embodies a timeless human hope: that we must might have the power of mind to figure out how we fit into the grand scheme of things.”

Leonardo’s Virtuvian Man is estimated to be drawn in about 1490, but it’s just a guess since he didn’t date the work. The timing fits in with the style of draftsmanship, kinds of paper and pen he used, and even his handwriting of the time. Most importantly, it would place the work during “the very period in his career when he was immersed in his intensive study of human proportions and had a special interest in comparing his own measurements to those listed in Virtruvius’ work," wrote Lester.

Leonardo spent many years examining the human body in great detail, and he left numerous drawings based on his first-hand anatomical dissections. He started to make specific connections between the human body and architecture, which one can see creep into his notebook doodlings in the 1480s.

Vitruvius provided specific measurements of the idealized male form and these measurements act as a starting point for Leonardo’s work. Leonardo expands and improves upon the original description. Lester writes that DaVinci “corrected previous interpretations of an ancient text…to capture the essential message of (Vitruvius): that the human form embodied the natural harmonies present in the circle and the square.”

And the face upon the Vitruvian man is likely Leonardo’s self-portrait as well.

The book includes detailed notes and a plethora of images, taking advantage, in the digital form, to link seamlessly back and forth from the various reference points within the ebook edition.

Lester’s book is a good read. It’s most successful, in my opinion, in its details surrounding Leonardo the man, his motivations, and the outline of his career. It fails, however, in its dubious connections presumed by author Lester, based upon an unfortunately incomplete record and circumstantial evidence. Leonardo spent some time with individuals that had their own connections with Vitruvius' work, and he had access to many historical works with various ties to the ancient work as well. Lester sometimes acknowledges that it’s “impossible to say”, for example, how much of certain concepts Leonardo was able to absorb by reading, but too often relies on ideas that Leonardo 'must have' read this, or 'likely' spoke to someone about that.

I enjoyed this book. Lester does a nice job writing readable history. The concepts are, at times, tough to wrap ones arms around, and Lester does well in providing just enough background and context to make things attainable. ...more

Few mortals have captured the imagination of so many as has Leonardo Da Vinci.

We tend to see him as the ultimate genius of the Renaissance period. Yet, as Toby Lester reminds us here, he was a man of remarkable imagination who was self-educated, unable to retain full-time employment because he failed to meet deadlines and was prone to go off in search of new projects while leaving current ones uncompleted.

That said, it does not diminish the wealth of his accomplishments. It simply makes him moreFew mortals have captured the imagination of so many as has Leonardo Da Vinci.

We tend to see him as the ultimate genius of the Renaissance period. Yet, as Toby Lester reminds us here, he was a man of remarkable imagination who was self-educated, unable to retain full-time employment because he failed to meet deadlines and was prone to go off in search of new projects while leaving current ones uncompleted.

That said, it does not diminish the wealth of his accomplishments. It simply makes him more human.

Lester also demonstrates that even the most accomplished of geniuses benefits from the works of those who have gone before. Leonardo’s self-education benefited from the invention of the printing press, which made cheap books available to the populace, and the existence of libraries like the one at Pavia.

Even the iconic image known as the Vitruvian Man and associate with Da Vinci had its roots in an obscure tome written by a Roman architect and military engineer. Marcus Vitruvius appears to have first described the human body analogy, which later became a central tenet of Christian thought. Though other artists had attempted a visual depiction of the idea, it was Da Vinci who perfected the image of a human figure in a square enclosed in a circle.

Lester speculates Da Vinci may have drawn the image for his proposed anatomical treatise on the human body—another work apparently never completed. No one knows for certain exactly when or why he drew the image.

But that’s beside the point. Da Vinci was a genius who made the world richer by his presence. Lester has done a wonderful job of giving us fresh insights into Da Vinci and his time. ...more

"Da Vinci's Ghost" is about Leonardo Da Vinci's road, philosophies, and steps to making one of his famous pieces of work, "Vitruvian Man". Author Toby Lester went deep into Leonardo's journey to discovering the "Vitruvian Man". This author went into his early days when he first started drawing and painting. "Da Vinci's Ghost" also went into detail about some ancient figures that claim to have either seen, or have connected to the creation of the famous picture, along with the ancient "Ten Book""Da Vinci's Ghost" is about Leonardo Da Vinci's road, philosophies, and steps to making one of his famous pieces of work, "Vitruvian Man". Author Toby Lester went deep into Leonardo's journey to discovering the "Vitruvian Man". This author went into his early days when he first started drawing and painting. "Da Vinci's Ghost" also went into detail about some ancient figures that claim to have either seen, or have connected to the creation of the famous picture, along with the ancient "Ten Book" written by the inspiration for the name: Vitruvius. Then he went into depth about his young adult years when he started to travel; taking his paintings and designing abilities to Milan, Rome, and all around Italy. Lastly, the book has information on the geometric, and scientific way on how he made the "Vitruvian Man".

"Da Vinci's Ghost" has a lot of cultural material of Italy in the book. One of the cultural artifacts of Italy is the architecture. In this book, there were times in Leonardo's life that he helped design buildings and statues. A second cultural artifact of Italy is it's fine arts and musical development. Back in medieval times, Italy was strongly known to have some of the best artists, musicians, actors, poets, writers, and philosophers. Some philosophers were Aristotle, Vitruvius, Claudio Sgarbi, Francecesco di Giorgio, Andrea del Verrocchio, The maker of the "Vitruvian Man" Leonardo himself, and many more. Lastly was there church relations with day to day activities. Back in medieval times, most art, music, books, even sports was under the churches consent.

There were probably many reasons why author "Toby Lester" wrote this book, but the main reason why was probably to show all the factors that lead to Leonardo making the "Vitruvian Man". In the beginning of the book, the author said, "This is the story of the world's most famous drawing: Leonardo da Vinci's man in a circle and a square." The theme of this book is the arts relationship with human proportions. The quote carried on to say, "Art historians call it Vitruvian Man, because it's based on a description of human proportions written some two thousand years ago by the Roman architect."

Would I recommend this book? That depends, are you interested in art, facts, and culture? If the answer is "yes", then I would recommend this book. If you don't think so than I probably wouldn't suggest it. ...more

Toby Lester has created a delightful, compressed pearl of a book to give a flavor of the genius, Da Vinci. In this story of da Vinci's Vetruvian Man, I now have a better understanding of this symbolic drawing of a man within a circle (long associated with the divine) and square (related to earthly and secular). Well-documented, it includes the visionary mystic Hildegard of Bingen, Brunelleschi, Leonardo's ideas on building, and an abc of proportions. You can see how Lester weaves history, art, eToby Lester has created a delightful, compressed pearl of a book to give a flavor of the genius, Da Vinci. In this story of da Vinci's Vetruvian Man, I now have a better understanding of this symbolic drawing of a man within a circle (long associated with the divine) and square (related to earthly and secular). Well-documented, it includes the visionary mystic Hildegard of Bingen, Brunelleschi, Leonardo's ideas on building, and an abc of proportions. You can see how Lester weaves history, art, engineering, theology and the power of ideas from the epigrams of the chapters. The first is from da Vinci, c. 1480: "Man is a model of the world" followed by Vitruvius (25 B.C.) "I have gathered what I observed to be useful, and brought it together as a single body" and Hildegard of Bingen (c. 1150) "... For man holds heaven and earth and other created things within himself. He is one form, and within him all things are concealed". More da Vinci: "The painter's mind must of necessity enter into nature's mind." "The work our hands do at the command of our eyes is infinite"; "... two chief objects to paint: man and the intention of his soul. The former is easy, the latter hard. c. 1490); "Painting is philosophy."

To quote Toby Lester, Leonardo da Vinci..."the man himself died centuries ago, but his ghost-timeless, watchful, and restless-remains unmistakably alive." That is my review of Da Vinci's Ghost: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Drawing.

This isn't just a history lesion, Lester draws pictures with his words of what possibly da Vinci's emotions were like, how he lived, what types of friends he made. He envisions images of de Vinci's travels, contractual obligations, political and religiouTo quote Toby Lester, Leonardo da Vinci..."the man himself died centuries ago, but his ghost-timeless, watchful, and restless-remains unmistakably alive." That is my review of Da Vinci's Ghost: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Drawing.

This isn't just a history lesion, Lester draws pictures with his words of what possibly da Vinci's emotions were like, how he lived, what types of friends he made. He envisions images of de Vinci's travels, contractual obligations, political and religious connections. Then, he cuts into the human body, brain and all, and reveals why de Vinci was so fascinated with the human form.

Don't neglect reading this. You'll time travel with Lester's lost world and perhaps learn something from it.

I'm Ben Campbell, the author of seven exciting adventure fiction novels. All are available through amazon as eBooks and paperbacks. They are also available as eBooks from Apple iBooks store, B&N and smashwords.com....more

This book shows how da Vinci created the famous drawing which he didn't pull out of thin air.The idea of a man inside a circle and square was proposed by the Roman architect Vitruvius before it was given form by da Vinci and finally proven definitively by the Hollywood Squares. Back in the day, the circle was related to all things divine while the square related to all things worldly. To place a man inside those shapes was to imply that the human body was the world in miniature. In da Vinci’s miThis book shows how da Vinci created the famous drawing which he didn't pull out of thin air.The idea of a man inside a circle and square was proposed by the Roman architect Vitruvius before it was given form by da Vinci and finally proven definitively by the Hollywood Squares. Back in the day, the circle was related to all things divine while the square related to all things worldly. To place a man inside those shapes was to imply that the human body was the world in miniature. In da Vinci’s mind, the proportion of the ideal human body would conform to the hidden geometry of the universe. The Vitruvian Man drawing helped da Vinci and others broaden the scope of their art. Many great pieces of architecture have been designed based on da Vinci’s drawing. It has been spoofed by the Simpsons, and appears on coffee mugs, t-shirts, posters, album covers, billboards, movies, logos, spacecraft and coins! ...more

Not what I was expecting, but good. We just saw the exhibit at the Venetian and I wanted to learn more about him.

An interesting look into the history of the Vitruvian Man, Leonardo's life, and some of his methods. He had such an interesting, varied mind, and his greatness often got in the way of his successes. His journals show a glimpse into how his fascinating imagination led to designs of inventions, ideas, and great works of art.

Read this if you want to learn more about Leonardo, but don'tNot what I was expecting, but good. We just saw the exhibit at the Venetian and I wanted to learn more about him.

An interesting look into the history of the Vitruvian Man, Leonardo's life, and some of his methods. He had such an interesting, varied mind, and his greatness often got in the way of his successes. His journals show a glimpse into how his fascinating imagination led to designs of inventions, ideas, and great works of art.

Read this if you want to learn more about Leonardo, but don't let this be your only source about him. ...more

Not having had much of an interest in history the majority of my life, I found this account of Da Vinci's life (and the times before and after) enlightening and astonishing. The idea of man as a microcosm and the time spent by so many trying to capture that idea in some form seems, now, inconsequential. However, at the time it was obviously a popular and labor worthy theory of exploration. I felt I learned a great deal from reading this book. I appreciated reading about the other masters and theNot having had much of an interest in history the majority of my life, I found this account of Da Vinci's life (and the times before and after) enlightening and astonishing. The idea of man as a microcosm and the time spent by so many trying to capture that idea in some form seems, now, inconsequential. However, at the time it was obviously a popular and labor worthy theory of exploration. I felt I learned a great deal from reading this book. I appreciated reading about the other masters and their contributions to Da Vinci's understanding of so many varied subjects. And to think that his Vitruvian Man, seemingly the essence of the Renaissance and all his learning, almost never came to be know. This is a well written exploration of Da Vinci's insatiable curiosity, capacity to understand, and his ability and desire to impart a clearer understanding to others. I thoroughly enjoyed it. ...more

Random thoughts on Da Vinci's Ghost, a book about the creation of the Vitruvian Man, the iconic image created by Leonardo da Vinci and replicated on pretty much everything :

* I don't know nearly enough about Leonardo da Vinci. I know basics, but felt somewhat lost with a lot of what was going on here.

* With that said, this is surprisingly informative and appears to be well-researched for a book that reads as if it has a general audience in mind, so that was good.

Really, I'm always happy to haveRandom thoughts on Da Vinci's Ghost, a book about the creation of the Vitruvian Man, the iconic image created by Leonardo da Vinci and replicated on pretty much everything :

* I don't know nearly enough about Leonardo da Vinci. I know basics, but felt somewhat lost with a lot of what was going on here.

* With that said, this is surprisingly informative and appears to be well-researched for a book that reads as if it has a general audience in mind, so that was good.

Really, I'm always happy to have some of my knowledge gaps exposed, and this filled one of them quite well. I got a lot out of this, even if it was slow goings from time to time, and I do want to spend more time w/da Vinci now, if only to get a broader outlook. Still, definitely worth your time if you're looking for something short about something you might not have thought too much about....more

I'm a journalist, an editor, and an independent scholar. Most recently, I'm the author of Da Vinci's Ghost (2012), about Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, and The Fourth Part of the World (2009), about the map that gave America its name. I'm also a longtime contributor to The Atlantic, for whom I've written extensively, on such topics as the reconstruction of ancient Greek music, the revisionistI'm a journalist, an editor, and an independent scholar. Most recently, I'm the author of Da Vinci's Ghost (2012), about Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, and The Fourth Part of the World (2009), about the map that gave America its name. I'm also a longtime contributor to The Atlantic, for whom I've written extensively, on such topics as the reconstruction of ancient Greek music, the revisionist study of the Qur'an, and the attempt to change alphabets in Azerbaijan.

Between 1995 and 2005 I worked for The Atlantic in a number of different editorial capacities—as a staff editor, as the executive editor of the Web site, as a senior editor, and as a managing editor. During those years I also served briefly as the editor of Country Journal and the executive editor of DoubleTake. My writing has appeared in not only The Atlantic but also Smithsonian, The Boston Globe, The American Scholar, The Wilson Quarterly, BBC News Magazine, and the London Times, as well as a number of anthologies, including the lead chapter of the recent New Literary History of America.

Prior to 1995, I worked in international relief and development: monitoring intifada-related activity in the West Bank, as a refugee-affairs officer for the United Nations; helping establish programs in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, as a Peace Corps country desk officer; and teaching English in a mountain school, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Yemen. I graduated from the University of Virginia in 1987 with degrees in English and French, and now live in the Boston area with my wife and three daughters.

I come from a family of writers. My father, James Lester, was a member of the first successful American Everest expedition, and is the author of Too Marvelous for Words (1994), the only biography of the jazz pianist Art Tatum. My mother, Valerie Lester, is the author of, among other works, Fasten Your Seat Belts: History and Heroism in the Pan Am Cabin (1995), and Phiz: The Man Who Drew Dickens (2004)—a biography of her great-great grandfather, Hablot Knight Browne, who was Charles Dickens’s principal illustrator. And my sister, Alison Lester, is the author of Locked Out (2007), a collection of short stories about expatriate life. ...more